Pioneer (Fox Glacier)

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ZLVA 16 PIONEER Still suffering from a spirited weekend around the hut and gigantic white clouds and many a late night, I was confronted were building up over the Fox Glacier, at the Mt. Cook bus depot in Christ- so we decided to retreat via Newton church with a mammoth size load of Pass, Graham Saddle and the Tasman. gear that was to provide both John Having staggered over Newton Pass, Watson and myself with a grand Christ- black clouds clamped down, snow startmas headache. ed to fall and we literally swam back Arriving at the Hermitage the follow- to the hut under the black canopy which ing afternoon, visions of flying into Pio- smothered all noise and held down an neer Hut soon vanished as torrential oppressive heat. rain hid the park headquarters behind a This weather lasted until the 26th watery screen of flying spray, and jag- December. It's an eerie feeling watchgered sheets of lightning sent us mortals ing the turbulent white clouds casting scurrying. towards our new abode-the phantom-like shadows on the glacier free public picnic shelter. Definitely four- below your high perch. We decided to star accommodation with, if you believe, wait for a plane as we had far too hot and cold showers. Three days passed much gear. as we either looked admiringly at the On the night of the 26th we left for goodies in the neighbouring shop or an attempt on Haidinger, hoping to be moved stock piles of gear away from back for a booked flight out at 8 a.m. the invading puddles. The snow conditions were terrible now But Saturday, the 16th December and to cut short the normal route, we dawned crystal clear. Having paid for headed a steep snow face of about 70 the overweight luggage, we were at last degrees Whicte we found to be split by airborne. Dramatically circling to gain a large schrund. At 2.30 a.m. to be height over the Upper Empress Glacier, confronted by an ice wall spanned by a we soon forgot our previous bad weather sagging snow bridge while powder snow as shutters clicked and soon we circled slithered past at an ever increasing rate low over the Albert Glacier, preparing convinced us that a soft mattress was for landing. Flying's definitely the way more in keeping with this hour of the to travel, for by 11 a.m. we were in- morning and the hut was soon reached. stalled in the crow-nest-like hut and pre- With the dawn, the plane landed. paring, for a quick climb on to the pio- Chaos broke loose on the icy slopes neer ridge. From this ridge the dramatic above the glacier as our duffle bags, topography of the region unfolds and packs and selves came sliding and bouncone really feels belittled among such ing down to the amusement of the majestiç mountains. plane's occupants. Leaving the hut with the three other Farewells followed, a flurry of snow occupants at 3a a.m. next morning, John and we were once again in the air. and myself headed across the moonlight This time flying over Graham Saddle expanse of the Albert Glacier and thread- and down the Tasman provided a ed our up through the jumbled We saw a splash of the red roof change. of the slots to Marcer col., from which we Plateau Hut buried beneath a drift as climbed the relatively exposed but the plane partly rolled and dived through straightforward snow and ice ridge to a hole in the valley cloud. Confusion its ten and a half thousand foot summit. prevailed until camera From there a badly corniced ridge fell etc. had again been found, straps, two shutters, whitealmost shear to Engineer col. and faced climbers looked dismayed at the over a buttress to the north shoulder of fast approaching airstrip, a ratchet wheel Tasman with its icy ridge now glittering turned and they were both in the early dawn. safely again on terra-firma. deposited Returning, we climbed Grey peak Tourists stared as two bearded, from long- Pioneer pass and spent the rest haired figures with colourfully the patched of day sunning ourselves outside trousers, mumbling obscenities about the the hut. Four days followed of ex- steepness of the track, trugged back to tremely hot weather, so climbing dur- their respective dwellings. The next ing the early hours of the morning, we (following in the traditional style day of reached the summit of a further four Messrs Higgins and Westerby) 1 left, peaks. The most interesting to me being thumbling a lift, hopefuly, for Auck- Mount Alack with its vertical S.W. face land. John remained as he planned to broken by a wide crack which would go over Copeland Pass to the West provide a fine climb. Coast. Numerous slots were opening up -Roger Foley.